


Jason Todd: Consequentialist

by jordieey



Series: Essays I Don't Want to Delete [1]
Category: Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Character Study, Essay, Hurt, Other, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 22:18:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18600520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jordieey/pseuds/jordieey
Summary: An essay (character study) of Jason Todd.Consequentialism: the doctrine that the morality of an action is to be judged solely by its consequences.





	Jason Todd: Consequentialist

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this essay for my Philosophy class in college. Not wanting to simply delete my work, I decided to post it here.
> 
> Note: I am actually quite a big Jason Todd fan. I am not trying to make him look like a bad person, but when writing this essay, I tried to be unbiased.

Jason Todd was Batman’s second sidekick, who took on the title of Robin. After being brutally beaten by the Joker, and left in a warehouse rigged with bombs, the life of the second Robin was cut tragically short. However, in the movie Batman: Under the Red Hood (based on a comic with a similar title) it is revealed that Todd was brought back to life by the Lazarus Pit. Todd proves to have a determination to clean up Gotham, using any means he considers necessary. Quite simply, Jason Todd is a consequentialist. 

Everyone has heard the saying “The ends justify the means” or, as Saint Jerome said it: “The line, often adopted by strong men in controversy, of justifying the means by the end.” ( Letter 48, 393 A.D. - 394 A.D.) This is a simpler explanation of consequentialism in that it explains the results of an action are a justification in and of itself, regardless of one’s intentions. Of course, such a belief could be endlessly debated and examined, but in the case of Jason Todd, the ends truly do justify the means. 

Following his resurrection, Jason spends five years traveling the world, learning new fighting techniques, and, as he would put it, “taking out the trash.” Half a decade after being brutally murdered, Jason returns to Gotham as the mysterious Red Hood, challenging Batman as he methodically takes over Gotham’s underworld, making the city safer with his own methods. These methods tend to involve threats of violence and death, which he does not hesitate to dole out. Within a short span of time, Jason has become a “crime lord” (Batman: Under the Red Hood, 2010) of Gotham, keeping criminals in check, and disposing of those he feels deserve it. 

While to some, Jason’s actions may seem, if not noble, at least justifiable, there is one problem. Jason’s determination to kill criminals is, in part, meant to benefit himself. Jason was none too happy when he learned that his father, Bruce Wayne, had not killed the Joker for what he did to him. Because of this, Jason hatches a plan to get revenge of both his murderer, and father. In fact, in Under the Red Hood, Jason outright says to the Joker: “Sure, I had lots of plans, but the endgame was getting Black Mask so desperate that he'd cut a deal. He was the only one with the connections to get into Arkham and get you out.” (Batman: Under the Red Hood, 2010) 

The Joker is a murderer, and a sadist. This is no secret. He has killed and maimed countless numbers of people, including Jason Todd. Jason is well aware if this. From the moment he enters Gotham, Jason’s endgame is to get revenge on Joker for killing him, and on Batman for not avenging his death in the first place. These intentions are, admittedly, less than noble. Jason is well aware of how dangerous the Joker is, having suffered at his hands himself. Yet, in spite of this, Jason carries a plan that brings the Joker out of imprisonment. Despite his planning, something could have gone wrong, and the Joker could have easily hurt the wrong people. Someone innocent, perhaps.

In fact, after being broken out of Arkham by the criminal known as Black Mask, the Joker turns on him, and attempts to set fire to Black Mask and his gang. Jason is wholly unsurprised by this turn of events, and even gives the Joker his blessing, so to speak, to kill Black Mask and his employees, 

In pursuit of his personal vengeance, Jason not only kills criminals and endangers others, but he seems to lack the ability to care about the risks. Jason is convinced that he is in the right in trying to kill the Joker. As far as “the entire graveyards he's filled, the thousands who have suffered, the friends he's crippled,” (Batman: Under the Red Hood, 2010) Joker deserves to die, and Jason is determined that it will be his former father who does the deed.

Jason is well aware of Batman’s morals. Batman refuses to kill anyone for any reason, no matter how many horrible acts they have committed. His belief that killing will turn him down an irredeemable path has value, but Jason no longer cares for these morals. Jason wants Batman to right a perceived wrong (failing to avenge his death) thus repairing what is left of their relationship. He gives no thought to the damage this would cause, and cares not what it would do to his former mentor. 

Jason Todd is a consequentialist, and there is little doubt about it. He believes that killing criminals is justified, as it makes the streets of Gotham just a little bit safer. His quest for revenge is, admittedly, understandable on some level, if unhealthy and self-centered. As far as Jason is concerned, the Joker, of all people, deserves to die. All his actions leading up to his perceived endgame are justified by the fact that they will result in a notorious villain being put down, thus avenging his own untimely demise and saving any future victims of the Joker. 

Summed up in his own words, Jason’s belief is: “You can't stop crime. That's what you never understood. I'm controlling it...I'm doing what you won't, I'm taking them out.” (Batman: Under the Red Hood 2010)

Jason Todd’s beliefs are straightforward, undoubtedly labeling him as a consequentialist.

**Author's Note:**

> Citations:  
> Batman: Under the Red Hood, 2010. A Warner Brothers film based on the comic Batman: Under the Hood. Directed by Brandon Vietti.  
> Saint Jerome: “The line, often adopted by strong men in controversy, of justifying the means by the end.” Letter 48, 393 A.D. - 394 A.D. 
> 
>  
> 
> Tell me what you think!


End file.
